Factors Affecting Climate

Latitude

How far north or south a place is on Earth can determine what type of climate it has

Low latitudes – the area between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, including the Equator. The low latitudes receive the most direct

sunlight year round Warm to hot climate, very tropical

Latitude

High Latitudes – the earth’s polar areas Very cold due to a lack of direct sunlight

Mid-latitudes – the area in between the high and low latitudes In the summer the mid-latitudes are warm In the winter the mid-latitudes are cold In general, the climate is temperate – not too hot, but

not too cold There can be dramatic seasonal weather changes

Describe what your closet would look like in each of the three latitude areas?

Elevation

Elevation can affect climate in an areaAs elevation increases the earth’s

atmosphere thinsThinner air retains less heat, so temperature

dropsIn general for every 1000 feet of elevation

increase, the temperature will drop 3.5 degrees

EXAMPLE: Quito, Ecuador has an average temperature that is 32 degrees cooler than other cities nearby

Wind

Wind distributes the suns heat around the earthWinds blow in patterns, not at random, called

prevailing windsWinds are often named for the direction they blow or

from names given during early history when sailing was important

Trade winds – the wind that blows in the low latitudesWesterlies – the wind that blows in the mid-latitudesPolar easterlies – the wind that blows diagonally east

to west pushing cold air toward the mid-latitudes

Ocean Currents

Just like wind, water in the ocean moves in patterns called currents

Ocean currents have a tremendous affect on the climate in coastal areas

For example, a warm water current flows from the Caribbean Sea toward Europe. That is why places like England typically do not have bitterly cold weather

Landforms

Bodies of water, mountains, and other landforms can affect climate

Example: Lake Michigan causes very strong wind to come off the lake and hit Chicago

Example: The Rain Shadow Effect in California